Nimzo-Indian Defense: St. Petersburg Variation, Fischer Variation
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Statistics from Lichess
13,478 games: White 46.7% / Draw 8.5% / Black 44.8%
| Next move | Games | White / Draw / BlackW / D / B |
|---|---|---|
| 11,37011K | ||
| 1,4141,414 | ||
| 194194 | ||
| 187187 | ||
| 164164 | ||
| 9999 | ||
| 1515 | ||
| 1010 |
Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Sep 26, 2026
Engine evaluation
+0.23 The position is about equal
Best play: 6. a3 Bxc3+ 7. Nxc3 d5 8. Qa4+ c6 9. Be2 dxc4 10. O-O O-O
Stockfish 19, depth 30, after the line's last move. Scores are in pawns, from White's side.
Overview
Nimzo-Indian Defense: St. Petersburg Variation, Fischer Variation (ECO E45, Indian Defenses) is a variation of the Nimzo-Indian Defense: St. Petersburg Variation, reached after 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 b6 5. Ne2 Ba6 (5 moves).
In 13,478 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 46.7%, Black 44.8% and 8.5% were drawn. White's most played move here is 6. a3, in 84% of those games.
Written from the Lichess opening list and explorer. Know this line well? Write about it.
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How to play against the Nimzo-Indian Defense: St. Petersburg Variation, Fischer Variation
6. Ng3 scores best for White: 59.7%, with White winning 56.2% and Black 36.8% of 1,414 games. The most played answer, 6. a3, scores lowest: 49.8% in 11K games. Stockfish's first choice is 6. a3.
Main answers: those played in at least 5% of these games. Score: White's wins plus half the draws, in rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500. How to play against other popular openings
Cite this page
Caissa Codex. “Nimzo-Indian Defense: St. Petersburg Variation, Fischer Variation (E45)”. Lichess data as of 26 Sep 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/nimzo-indian-defense-st-petersburg-variation-fischer-variation